Thales and Max Planck Institute Set Fusion Milestone with Record-Breaking Gyrotron Power Output

Thales and Max Planck Institute Set Fusion Milestone with Record-Breaking Gyrotron Power Output

(IN BRIEF) Thales and the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics have achieved a new milestone in nuclear fusion by setting a world record with Thales’s TH1507U gyrotron, which generated 1.3 megawatts of radiofrequency for 360 seconds. Developed for the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator, this gyrotron heats and stabilizes plasma, essential for magnetic confinement fusion, a method promising clean, sustainable energy. This achievement, supported by the European Gyrotron Consortium, highlights fusion energy’s potential to meet global energy demands without greenhouse gas emissions.

(PRESS RELEASE) LA DÉFENSE, 25-Oct-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Thales, in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in nuclear fusion by setting a new record with its TH1507U gyrotron, developed specifically for the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator. This high-powered device delivered a remarkable 1.3 megawatts of radiofrequency at 140 GHz for a sustained 360 seconds. Designed to heat and stabilize plasma, Thales’s gyrotron is integral to achieving the high temperatures necessary for magnetic confinement fusion, the process at the core of the Wendelstein 7-X fusion project in Germany.

The Wendelstein 7-X stellarator aims to advance plasma research and support the development of future commercial fusion reactors, which could offer a pathway to abundant, clean energy. Nuclear fusion generates massive energy by merging atomic nuclei, using magnetic confinement to stabilize plasma that reaches temperatures exceeding the sun’s core.

Thales, the sole European manufacturer of gyrotron tubes, developed the TH1507U with support from the European Gyrotron Consortium (EGYC), a coalition of major European research institutions. The gyrotron’s adaptability to varied frequencies makes it invaluable to the evolving needs of fusion research.

Charles-Antoine Goffin, Thales Vice President of Microwave & Imaging Sub-Systems, highlighted this achievement’s significance, stating, “Our gyrotron’s world record is a major leap toward fusion energy, underscoring our commitment to innovative, high-power plasma heating technology, which is vital to the clean energy solutions of the future.”

Fusion energy is regarded as a promising sustainable energy source, generating no greenhouse gases and relying on naturally abundant resources, positioning it as a key technology for reducing carbon emissions and meeting the energy demands of sectors such as transportation, construction, and digital industries.

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SOURCE: Thales